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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29902755">Behind the Field House</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Secretblog1212/pseuds/Secretblog1212'>Secretblog1212</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Criminal Minds (US TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>??? - Freeform, Bisexual Spencer Reid, Bullied Spencer Reid, Canon Compliant, Child Abuse, Episode: s03e16 Elephant's Memory, Explicit Language, Forced Nudity, High school Spencer Reid, Homophobia, Homophobic Language, Hurt Spencer Reid, NO RAPE I PROMISE, Pre-Canon, Public Nudity, Schizophrenia, Spencer Reid Needs a Hug, although it does have creepy rape vibes for part of it, tied to the flagpole, violence against a child</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 18:48:51</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,056</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29902755</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Secretblog1212/pseuds/Secretblog1212</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>What happened when Spencer followed Harper Hillman out behind the field house?</p>
<p>Warnings: derogatory slurs/language (fag), forced nudity, bullying, and violence against a child, public nudity<br/>Not at all what I usually post here so please read warning and tags before reading!!!</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>30</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Behind the Field House</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I know this isn't what I usually post by a long shot but I just finished up my month long fic and felt like switching it up for a sec so bear with me. XD Have some Spencer Reid angst, as if this man needed more of it.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Spencer had learned to keep to himself the hard way. Not all of his interactions were as bad as others, but it was enough to make him wary of anyone who started a conversation. There were a few of the nerdier kids in the neighborhood that would talk to him every once in a while, but the older kids would start to target them as well. No, it was better if he just kept to himself, at least with other kids.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There was his mom, of course, she was always backing his corner when she wasn’t having an episode. She would encourage his interests and rambles, never telling him to be quiet or stop talking when she knew he was passionate. And there was the store clerk, Mr. Clarkson,  who played poker with him and let Spencer use his employee discount when Spencer won. Spencer had caught on that Mr. Clarkson let him win more often than not, and the older man laughed when he called him out on it. A few of his parent’s friends stopped around once or twice a month to check-in, but as his mom’s episodes got more frequent and less controlled those visits became tenser and shorter.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>With a fleeting thought, Spencer wondered where his dad might be, but shook his head and went back to his book. At first, he thought his dad was going to come back after a month or two, his mom had been hopeful and told Spencer not to worry, “He wouldn’t leave forever Spencer, he just needs time is all,” but after one year, seven months, thirteen hours, and forty-two minutes he was struggling to believe that. He’d had to step up a lot after his dad left- making sure his mom took her medicine, ate, and that there was enough money to pay for their bills. It was tough, but Spencer was in high school. Other kids around this age would have to be starting to worry about budgeting and rent, so really he was just keeping up if you wanted to think about it.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He glanced up from his page when the library door shut loudly, Miss Kelly was across the room putting books back on their shelves from kids who were doing a research project. Spencer twisted to look at the door but promptly turned back around just as fast. Harper Hillman wasn’t mean to him directly, but he knew who she liked to hang around. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Spencer forced himself to stay perfectly still, though his leg wanted to bounce and his fingers itched to push his hair behind his ears. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She was alone, so Spencer thought that maybe he would get lucky. Harper was never mean to him directly, it was unlikely that she would take a direct role now after she hadn’t for his entire high school career so far.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Three sharp taps on his shoulder made his gut churn. She didn’t wait for Spencer to answer, pulling out the chair to his left. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey Spencer, what’re you reading?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Her voice sounded light-hearted, but Spencer couldn’t help but be suspicious. No one ever came up to him, let alone tried to start a casual conversation with him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He must have waited too long to answer because Harper sighed and pulled the book from his hands. He couldn’t help but be annoyed as the book snapped shut. He’d be able to find his place later, but he hadn’t been bothering to pay attention since he was planning to finish it before last period was over. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>The Book of Margery Kempe</span>
  </em>
  <span>? Sounds boring. What’s it about?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What do you want?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Oh. Spencer hadn’t meant to say that. He ducked his head, a bright blush covering his face. “Sorry, I didn’t- I just meant- I-”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Much to his shock Harper just laughed it off, setting the book back in his pile of textbooks and notebooks. “You’re pretty funny, you know that. You’re right though, I wanted to let you know that Alexa wanted to meet with you behind the field house, she asked me to let you know because she was too flustered to ask herself.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Spencer looked up at Harper through his bangs. That didn’t make any sense, why would Alexa Lisbon want to meet him behind the field house. Normally if someone was asking him for answers or to do their homework they would just corner him in a hallway.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Before Spencer could ask any questions the bell rang through the halls and students shoved each other through the doorways.</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>He only looked away for a minute, but by the time he looked back, Harper had his books under her arm. “Come on! Alexa doesn’t like to be kept waiting, and this is a once-in-a-lifetime chance for you. If you don’t show up then she won’t ask you again.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“A-ask me what?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“God, do I have to spell it out for you? What do you think she wants from you Spencer?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The way she said it Spencer felt like the answer should be obvious, but there was something in her tone of voice that made Spencer blush at the implication. Alexa was easily one of the prettiest girls in the whole school, and she was five years older than him. She would never go to him when she could have anyone in the whole school bending backward to make her happy for even a second of her attention. “Um- I assume she wants me to do her homework, but why does she need me to go to the field house for that? None of the teachers really pay attention-”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Harper laughed again, her smile was bright and her cheeks had a slight rosy tinge to them. Harper was pretty too, she had light freckles over the bridge of her nose and across her cheeks and a tiny gap between her two front teeth. “Sometimes it really shows that you’re still just a kid, but well, you won’t be quite as innocent soon. Come on, let Alexa show you what all she wants to do with you, it’ll blow your little prepubescent mind.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>O-oh. Oh. If Spencer’s brain could produce smoke like in cartoons he was sure it would be blowing out of his ears right now. Maybe his face was giving off enough heat to give the same reaction. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I-I don’t, I- well um-”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Hurry up! She won’t like it if your late, she might change her mind.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Spencer wasn’t too sure. Of course, he had certain, um, well, urges, but he’d never expected anyone to… In the time Spencer took to try to gather his thoughts, Harper was running out the door. “If you want to come then get a move on, and I mean that literally!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Spencer paused, he knew there was some kind of joke there but whatever it was went completely over his head. He knew it wasn’t a smart decision, it would be better if he just went home. Whatever Alexa wanted to do to him wouldn’t be legal anyway with their age difference, and Spencer didn’t want to get in trouble. He turned to pack his bag, only to realize all of his books were still under Harper’s arm. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey! Harper, w-wait!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Grabbing his bookbag and slinging it over one of his shoulders Spencer raced off towards where Harper had left, seeing that she was running through the hallways giggling and waving a hand behind her beckoning Spencer to follow her. It wasn’t like he had much of a choice anymore, that was one of his mom’s books and she’d be upset if she heard that he’d lost it, and then even more upset at how.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Spencer chased after her,  asking her to wait up and saying he just wanted to go home, but she only teased him for being scared to get a little experience.’ By the time they made it outside Spencer felt his side stitch, there was a reason he liked books more than sports, and the last time he had been made to run this much was gym class his freshman year. At least when he was nine he still had regular kid-like energy, but ever since he started going through the beginnings of puberty his bones and muscles hurt and his body felt uncoordinated and disconnected.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Spencer could see that she was running across the football field towards the field house, and yelled out for her to stop. He really just wanted to go home, his mom had been a little confused this morning and he needed to make sure she was alright. “Harper,” He yelled out in between gasps for breath, but the older girl didn’t stop. “Harper! Please, I- I”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Harper was rounding the corner now, “I just want my books back. Please, I don’t think this is a good idea, and um, please just give me my books back!’</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Spencer turned the corner, more than a little out of breath, though he’s not sure if he’d have been able to breathe even if he hadn’t been running from the way his lungs seemed to shrivel upon sight. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yeah, Alexa was there, but so was almost a quarter of the school! The entire football team, cheerleaders, even some people who didn’t tend to mesh with the popular sports groups were there. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Before Spencer could stutter out something, anything, the biggest and baddest of the football team surrounded him, leaving him with nowhere to run. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Look at him! He ran all the way here thinking Alexa was going to put it out for a freak like him.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“And here we thought you were a fag too.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Alexa would never get with a slimy little kid like you!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Disgusting!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Freak!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Queer!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Spencer’s throat was dry, whether it be from the exercise or the crowd that had been waiting for him. Even if he’d wanted to try to defend himself he doubted he could get more than a squeak past.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Come on Alexa, let’s show him how it’s done then. If the freak thought he was going to get something let’s show him how it’s done.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Alexa walked forward, her face twisted as if she smelt something rotten. Spencer tried to back away from her as she got closer and closer, only to hit a wall of muscle that shoved him back to the center of their watch mob. He stumbled over his own feet, barely keeping himself from falling on his face.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Alexa pulled him up by the collar of his shirt and leaned down next to his ear. “No one would ever want to be with a freak of nature like you, fucking pervert.” Her words cut like a knife even though he hadn’t expected anything good to come from this interaction.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She shoved him back, and this time he didn’t try to keep himself from falling. He wasn’t- he didn’t even want to come! He looked over to where Harper was standing, his books still tucked carefully against her chest. She wasn’t watching, acting as if she had no part in this at all when it was entirely her fault!</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He wasn’t sure when he’d dropped his bookbag, but he heard the fabric being ripped apart and watched to see all of its contents spilling out. “S-stop,” He muttered, his words barely even vocalized at all. They could easily be mistaken as the wind or some bush rustling. “Please, I didn’t- I just want to go home.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Alexa picked up a handful of sand and threw it at his face. It made Spencer’s eyes burn, and although he knew rubbing at them would only make it hurt worse, he couldn’t help it. Sand rarely caused blindness, though it could cause some scratches to his corneas which would heal over the next couple of days, that didn’t stop it from hurting. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Awe, what? Are you going to cry? Maybe then you’ll learn to stop looking at girls, no one wants a freaky little boy like you!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I didn’t! I didn’t l-look at anyone!” He never looked at any of the girls, let alone tried to talk to them at all! Sure he thought some of the girls were pretty, and though he knew they would only treat him worse for it some of the boys were pretty too, but he’d never even thought to try to act on any of his feelings before. “What did I do to you? Why are you doing this?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Spencer felt himself being tugged up from the desert floor and his arms being pulled back so he couldn’t fist at his eyes anymore. He tried to squirm away from the hands but gave up when a fist connected with his gut.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He felt sick but took deep breathes. He refused to let them see him weak- or at least weaker than he already felt. He wasn’t going to get sick all over himself to give them something else to bully him for. They’d probably use it as a goal for next time, see how many times or how fast they can make him physically ill.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>To his surprise, the beating only lasted a few more punches. Distantly he knew Alexa was giving out orders, but they took a few seconds to register in his mind. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Alright, boys have your fun then.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Spencer shut his eyes. He didn’t want to have to remember the experience at all, but since he didn’t have much of a choice in the matter he could at least control what he remembered. He didn’t want to have to see their faces while they beat him, and logically keeping his eyes shut would protect him from dust they kicked up from the ground. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He wasn’t expecting to feel hands untucking his shirt and sliding up his sides. If he wasn’t so scared he might have found the sensation ticklish, but he suddenly lost the ability to move at all. His throat closed up and he felt tears push against his eyelids. What the hell were they going to do to him?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>One of the boys worked his shirt off. His hands were rough and big, the hand could wrap halfway around Spencer’s chest if he wanted it to. Bradley Hayes, his mind supplied. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He rucked his shirt up until he could pull it over Spencer’s face. Spencer shuttered as he took a breath, the sun was warm on his skin in contrast to how cold he suddenly felt. Another pair of hands grabbed at his belt, unfastening the hooks and starting to tug it loose. Spencer wasn’t even aware he’d been talking till another boy, Simon Gales was yelling at him to shut up.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You like it, don’t you? Fucking like having our hands all over you like a goddamn faggot. You’re disgusting.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Spit splattered against his stomach and Spencer whimpered, there was no other way to describe it. “D-don’t. I don’t like it, please. J-just let me go, I just want to go home, please. I-”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I said shut the hell up!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>With a final tug, Spencer felt his pants fall around his ankles and there were murmuring and laughter in the crowd. He gave a split second of thought to what underwear he was wearing. Blue and green. His shirt came off only a second later as well.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“P-Plea-se,  I j-just, please! I didn’t l-look at anyone, I promise!” Spencer knew he sounded desperate. He knew he was on the verge of tears and he hated the idea of letting them see him cry, but if this kept on for even another minute he knew he’d lose what little composure he’d retained.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Someone tried to cover his mouth, the palms weren’t quite as calloused as before, more than likely it was Luke Hughins, but Spencer shook his head and continued to beg. “Please. Please let me g-go home. I want to go home! Please. Please, please, please! I’m sorry. Whatever I did I’m sorry, j-just let me go. Ple- No! No, don- mhmph!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A hand came from behind his head, pulling his head back until it was pressed against someone’s chest and he couldn’t move it anymore. No matter how much he thrashed and struggled Spencer couldn’t get away from the hands.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Where’d we put the rope?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Carry him to the goalpost, we’ll tie him up there.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hands went back down to Spencer’s waist, and he felt fingers pull at the elastic of his underwear. No. No, please. Spencer tried to yell against the hand over his mouth, his legs kicking out and arms struggling to get free. No.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But Spencer didn’t have any say in what was going on. He distantly heard a chant be taken up, “Take them off! Take them off!” but everything sounded like it was underwater. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His back met the burning metal of the football field’s goal post.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Spencer twisted his head, slamming it into the pole in the process, but he wasn’t the one who let out a scream. Spencer sunk his teeth down hard until he tasted metal filling his mouth. The hand moved away leaving Spencer’s mouth dripping the red and a smear across his cheek.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His eyes flew open to the crowd, moving from face to face for any sign of disturbance. Why wasn’t anyone going to help him? He knew he wasn’t well-liked but this was too far even for them. Why were they just watching?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Please! Someone, please! I’m sorry, I-I’m sorry! Stop, someone, anyone, stop them!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Spencer got one of his arms free when they shifted him to tie his wrist. A voice in the back of his mind told him that fighting was hopeless, they were older, bigger, stronger than him, but the panic was louder. He had to try to get away, he couldn’t let them tie him to the pole. He just wanted to go home, his mom would be worried if he didn’t. He didn’t want to think about what they were going to do to him, he didn’t want to have to experience whatever their plans here were. He had to get away, fight back, no matter what.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“The little fucker bit me! What fucking diseases am I gonna get now? Swear to God, I will kill him if he gave me anything.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Another set of hands clamped down over his arms, pulling his wrist back behind the pole. Spencer’s eyes were wide as Daniel Warrens brought the rope over to them with a purely evil smile. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Spencer tried to fight back, get free again, do anything to getaway. He yelled out for help, hoping that one of the teachers might be able to hear him but no one came. In the crowd, a few of the girls were smiling and whispering to one another, but when Spencer found Harper in the crowd she was looking at the ground. Alexa nudged her with her shoulder but Harper turned away from her.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Why are you doing this? I didn’t, I d-didn’t look at anybody.” Spencer begged, his voice was raw and cracked. It wasn’t any different than the questions he was asking before, but when he saw Harper look up he knew she knew the question was directed to her. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“P-please. I want to go home.” In the end, his voice was nothing but a whisper as the boys tied him up, his underwear had been pulled down to his ankles and Spencer didn’t try to fight the tears that tracked down his face. Sobs worked their way up in his chest, jolting his entire body as they punched their way out of his throat. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Go home to who? Your mom’s crazy just like you! And you wonder why your dad left you both, I would too if I had a kid who was a freak.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Spencer couldn’t hear what the others were saying anymore. Everything was muffled as if he had cotton in his ears. He could feel sand hitting his skin, going into his eyes, his mouth, his nose, making him sputter and cough and cry harder. He could feel the rocks that left cuts and bruises on his skin. His legs felt weak and unsteady as he sunk down the pole.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Someone wrenched him back by his hair, and Spencer didn’t try to fight back as his head made contact with the goalpost.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>How long were they out here already? It was a Friday afternoon so none of the staff would stay longer than strictly necessary. The football field was on the opposite side of the building of the staff parking lot but surely someone would have noticed the congregation of students all huddled behind the school. Where were the teachers, a parent, any adult who would make them stop? </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>‘Sticks and stones may break my bones but words can hurt me.’ Spencer thought whoever said that had to be the biggest liar ever. He would look into it tomorrow, or maybe the next day to figure out where the saying originated from, but they were a liar. Sure the rocks and fists hurt plenty, but sometimes the words dug in deeper than any cut ever could. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The boys only stopped when Alexa herself walked forward. Spencer looked over her shoulder. Harper was gone, leaving his books off to the side of the building where no one was looking. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Alexa dropped down to her knees and leaned over Spencer. She wasn’t tall, at least not compared to the boys. She was of average height and had an athletic build, but she didn’t need that to feel intimidating. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I see the way you watch them,” she whispered, leaning close enough that her breath ghosted over his neck and made him shiver, though to anyone else it looked more like a flinch back. Spencer took note of the use of them instead of her. He didn’t watch people too often, at least not while at school, so he wasn’t sure who all she was referring to. He almost asked on instinct but Alexa continued where she left off. “Have you had your first kiss yet Spencer? They wanted me to kiss you, make sure that you couldn’t have a good first experience with it, but I don’t want to let my lips touch a rat like yours.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Alexa leaned back before pushing herself up to stand. “Come on,” She called over her shoulder, already walking through the crowd. “I’m bored. Besides if we all stay here much longer the Sheriff might notice the crowd.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It took maybe another five minutes for the rest of the crowd to leave. Spencer only watched their feet as they scattered in all different directions, some walking home, others to their cars, or to restaurants or whatever hangouts were popular. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He thought that maybe they’d untie the ropes after most people had left but no one stayed. Spencer continued to shake and sob and cry and beg long after everyone was gone. He kept trying to loosen the knots that held his wrists together but his hands were too shaky, and the knots too tight to get himself out. His wrists felt rubbed raw and without looking he knew that he’d have rope burns he’d have to cover up for weeks after. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The silence was almost worse than having everyone laugh at him. At least when people were here there was a chance they would let him out, but now he had been left alone and the only sounds were his own cries and pleas for someone to come back. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>By the time he could feel himself getting hungry his skin was starting to feel uncomfortably hot. His eyes felt heavy from crying, but he couldn’t sleep here. He needed to get home. His mom would worry if he was gone for much longer. Shifting to try to get his ropes loose again hurt though. From looking at his legs and stomach alone he knew he was getting a bad sunburn. He was sweating in the heat, though the wind felt cold against his skin. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He must have dozed off at some point because the next time he opened his eyes it was dark out, only the city lights left for him to see by. He debated waiting until tomorrow morning for the groundskeeper to find him, but the idea of someone else making it to him first set him into action. The night brought cold with it, and where Spencer had felt on fire before he now thought he might as well have been submerged in ice water.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Spencer twisted and worked on the knots with numb hands until enough feeling returned that he thought his fingers were going to bleed. He wished his dad had signed him up for boy scots instead of baseball, at least that might have been educational. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The thought of his dad made him both upset and angry. If his dad were here then Spencer would be home right now. None of the kids had ever done something quite like this with his dad there as a threat. They were right, his mom couldn’t do anything to stop them. She was probably at home right now waiting for him by the door. If his dad were there he would have come out looking for him when he didn’t show up. He would have made sure his mom ate dinner and took her medicine and he would have made sure the bills were paid and the fridge was stocked. It wasn’t fair.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Spencer got the knot untied, and let them fall to his side. The way the blood rushed back to them was painful, but nothing like before. His skin was slick and dry at the same time. Everything hurt to move.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Spencer didn’t bother to put his shirt on, only sliding his underwear and pants back up from where they had been tossed a few feet over with his ripped-up bag. Spencer gathered what he could salvage in his arms, throwing his bag away, it was too ripped up to hold anything anymore. He remembered Harper putting his books to the side, and found them covered in dirt from being outside all evening. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Spencer tugged on one show, not sure when exactly they had even managed to get them off. It must have been right about the same time as his pants. ‘I should start tying them around my ankles to make it harder to pull off,’ He thought to himself as he stumbled away from the scene. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The roads weren’t empty, but no one looked twice as he walked past cars. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Spencer was doing his best not to think. He just needed to get home so his mom wouldn’t be worried, and then he could help make dinner and she would pull him into her side and she would read to him all weekend. He could forget how everyone treated him and exist in the stories they read. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Spencer barely made it up the stairway to the door to knock. It was taking his mom a while to answer, he realized that he’d never bothered to put his shirt back on and hastily made to pull it over his head. If she saw him like this then she would know something had happened. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Even after he managed to get his arms through the sleeves and pick his things back up through the door remained locked. He knocked again. He knew where their spare was of course, they’d kept one under the big rock around the back ever since he was six, but his mom almost always answered the door unless she was having an-</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Oh. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Spencer walked to the back on autopilot, then back around to put the key in the lock.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The house was a mess as if someone had been searching for something. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Spencer tried to call out but his voice was nothing more than a whisper. He needed to get something to drink first, he was probably dehydrated enough as it was. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The kitchen was almost worse, every dish had been set out on the countertops and the table, the doors left open. He grabbed a cup closest to the skin and left the tap running while he filled it up, drank, then filled it again. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Down the hall he could hear shuffling, a few things clattered to the ground. Spencer made his way down to his mom’s room, the door was open and she was going through her bookshelf. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Mom?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She didn’t react to him, not even when he stepped into the room. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Mom? What are you looking for? I can help.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Diana threw another book to the ground, huffing as she moved over to her dresser and began pulling out clothes. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Spencer walked over until he was standing right next to her. “M-mom?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She glanced over, and for a second she looked angry. He watched as she straightened up and a look of recognition crossed her face. “Spencer, sorry, dinner is going to be a little late tonight. I- I don’t want them to be able to see.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Who to see mom? What are you looking for.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“The government, they’re watching. I know they are Spencer, I-I can hear the camera, I just have to find it. They’re going to try to take you away. I won’t let them, I won’t- I won’t let them take you away.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Spencer hated the fact that she didn’t see what was really wrong with him, she didn’t see the sand or dirt in his hair, or the way he flinched a bit as he walked across the room.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Can you read to me, mom?” He asked, knowing that the distraction would help them both. Spencer didn’t feel hungry anyway, and trying to get his mom to eat would be a harder task than he felt capable of right now. “I really want you to read to me please.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He settled on the bed, giving her time to think. There was a book on the floor nearby and though it hurt to bend down to reach it Spencer picked it up and looked at the cover. “Here mom, please.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>That seemed to be enough for now. Diana settled on the bed, albeit with tension through her muscles. Spencer fell into her side, hoping to help her relax. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>That night Spencer fell asleep with dreams of a far-off world playing in his head, forgetting everything that happened behind the field house.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
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